Blank page prints after each spool file in PC 5250 session

Blank page prints after each spool file in PC 5250 session

Blank page printed after each spooled file when printing through a PC5250 printer session that is configured to use a Printer Definition Table (PDT) File.


The PDT files were set up to match the Windows printer drivers. In some cases, they were set up to issue a form feed at the end of each print job (or spooled file) because the printer driver was not taking care of it and in other cases, they were not set up to issue a form feed at the end of each print job because the printer driver was issuing a form feed. Problems have occurred where a newer version of the Windows printer driver has changed to start issuing a form feed, thus causing an extra form feed to be issued and therefore causing a blank page to be printed.


Since some Windows printer drivers will issue their own form feed at the end of each spooled file and some will not, you will find that some Printer Definition Table (PDT) files have a form feed control in the PC5250 end of job control string and some do not.


Note: If you are getting blank pages before and after each spooled file when printing through a PC5250 printer that is configured to use the Windows printer driver (without a PDT file or Host Print Transform), then get the latest Client Access for Windows 95/NT Service Pack or PC5250 Print PTF since this problem was fixed long ago.


Note: If you are getting blank pages before each spooled file when printing through a PC5250 printer that is configured to use Host Print Transform, refer to APAR SA59479. This problem has been fixed by R311 PTF SF43839 and R312 PTF SF52313. To display the cover letter for APAR SA59479, click on the following link:


SA59479, CA400WINOPT-PRINTEMUL- BLANK PAGE USING PC5250 WITH HPT 


Resolution:


This problem can be remedied by making a copy of the PDT source and then removing the form feed control from the PC5250 end of job control string:

1    Bring up the PC5250 printer session profile.

2    Click on File/Printer Setup... on the menu bar to bring up the Printer Setup dialog box.

3    Click on the Select PDT... button to bring up the Select PDT file dialog box.

4    Look in the File Name field to see which PDT file is currently being used (for example, HPDSKJT.PDT).

5    Leave the PC5250 printer session profile on the Select PDT file dialog box and then bring up either File Manager (for Windows 3.1) or the Windows Explorer (for Windows 95).

6    Go to either the C:\PCOMWIN\PDFPDT directory (for Windows 3.1) or the C:\Program Files\IBM\Client Access\Emulator\pdfpdt folder (for Windows 95).

7    Double click on the corresponding PDF source file (for example, HPDSKJT.PDF) to open it using Notepad.


Note: If you are using Windows 3.1 and get the error "No application is associated with this file", click on the OK button on the error message, click on File/Associate... on the menu bar, click on Text File (notepad.exe), click on the OK button, then double click on the corresponding PDF file.

8    Click on File/Save As... on the menu bar to save the file using a new name, such as NOBLANKS.PDF for Windows 3.1 or No Blank Pages.pdf for Windows 95, so that you do not modify the original PDF and PDT files (and do not have to worry about these changes being overwritten by PTFs or a Service Pack).

9    Search for the END_JOB control code and remove the FFF control as shown below:

Original PDF source:

END_JOB = CUL CBP CS1 FFF

Modified PDF source:

END_JOB = CUL CBP CS1

10    Click on File/Save on the menu bar to save the file.

11    Go back to the PC5250 printer session profile and get back to the Select PDT file dialog box.

12    Click on the Convert PDF... button.

13    Find your modified PDF file (that is, NOBLANKS.PDF or No Blank Pages.pdf) in the list. Click on the file to select it and then click on the Convert button.

14    Verify that the table compilation was successful and click on the Close button on the PDF File Converter dialog box.

15    Click on the Close button on the Convert PDF to PDT dialog box.

16    Verify that the new PDT file (that is, NOBLANKS.PDT or No Blank Pages.pdt) is selected on the Select PDT file dialog box and then click on the OK button.

17    Click on the OK button on the Printer Setup dialog box.

18    Click on File/Save on the menu bar to save the PC5250 printer session profile.

19    Print a few AS/400 spooled files to verify that PC5250 no longer prints a blank page after each print job.

    • Related Articles

    • Adding an iSeries Access Display and Printer session

      Adding a display session to a computer   Click on Start, programs, iSeries access for windows, Start or configure session.   Click “new session”   Be sure to select “properties” to choose SSL for secure sockets layer.     Choose Workstation ID  - ...

    • Configure iSeries Access Printer

      Adding a iSeries Access printer session to a computer   Click on Start, programs, IBM iAccess for windws, emulator, Start or configure session.   Depending on the version of iSeries access, click “New Session” or “Configure”   Note below:  Name of ...

    • Using Navigator to bring a spool file down to Excel

      Using Navigator to bring a spool file down to an excel spreadsheet   Open up iSeries navigator: (start, programs, iSeries, iSeries navigator)     Double click on Printer Output.     Be sure you can see your desktop behind the Navigator window, as ...

    • Changing qsysopr to the user name in iSeries access printer session

      Messages for individual’s iSeries Access printers should go to their message queue, not QSYSOPR.   Here’s how to fix:   In their printer session, click communication, configure   Click setup Change qsysopr to their name, ex.  Wendy, Carolyn, etc. ...

    • PDF documents from AS400 to PC (Including any PC applications)

      Printing PDF documents from AS400 to PC (Including any PC applications as well) Download the free software Cutepdf from www.cutepdf.com   Click Download Click Save – put in “downloads” folder – or create one.   Install the program – be sure and ...